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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28946112">a change of scene</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/townesorsomething/pseuds/townesorsomething'>townesorsomething</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Edgar Allan Poe's Murder Mystery Dinner Party (Web Series), Poe Party - Fandom, Shipwrecked Comedy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bisexuality, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Short, Vivian Nightingale Memorial Ball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:40:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>653</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28946112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/townesorsomething/pseuds/townesorsomething</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>a short one-shot of the moments before the drunken dalliance.</p><p>title from the case of the gilded lily</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annabel Lee/Eddie Dantes (mentioned), Eddie Dantes/Oscar Wilde</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a change of scene</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“And you are?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eduardo Dantes hadn’t been expecting to be left alone by his date… Annabel, the lady he was courting, had said something about one of her friends being across the ballroom floor and she had disappeared, leaving him to converse with strangers and fend for himself. Nothing he couldn’t handle, of course. Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>usually</span>
  </em>
  <span> nothing he couldn’t handle, but this man, standing beside Eddie’s table was… different.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oscar Wilde,” The man said, extending his hand. Eddie shook it gently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A pleasure to meet you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m sure it is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eddie looked his new acquaintance up and down. Confidence exuded from every part of Wilde, from his tight burgundy ensemble to his almost hungry smirk. Oddly enough, Wilde’s confidence didn’t dissuade Eddie, as overly egotistical men often did, but instead became infectious, and made him feel more confident and comfortable in this odd man’s presence. Eddie wasn’t sure </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>his mouth was opening to speak, but it did in spite of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you like to sit, Mr. Wilde?” Immediately, Wilde took up his offer and pulled out one of the chairs beside Eddie.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, please, Mr. Wilde was my father. You can call me Oz, if you’d like to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well… Oz… What’s your story?” Eddie poured Oscar a glass of red wine and handed it over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My story? Oh, darling, where to start…,” He took a sip from his drink, “Well, I’m an author, if that interests you any. I don’t know if you big banker types have any fascination in the poetic professions, you’re too caught up in your mind-numbing numerical world—“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’d you know I’m a banker?” Eddie frowned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, please. You’re the epitome of dark, handsome, and mysterious. Your suit probably has a price tag longer than the host’s pecker, and you’re sitting alone at a party full of performers and poets. It’s not that hard to deduce.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eddie sat in silence for a moment. “I- I’m going to choose to ignore that middle part.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Saying you’re ignoring it proves your acknowledgement of it, but if you really insist.” Oscar sipped his drink again. Eddie sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what if I say </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> banker does take a fascination in poetics, hmm?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then I’d ask if it was the poetry you were interested in… or me?” Oscar smirked over the rim of his glass.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I beg your pardon?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oscar laughed. “I’m only joking, unless you really are interested, in which case, I’m right here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eddie laughed too, slightly awkwardly, though he hoped Oscar hadn’t noticed the uneasiness. He had… </span>
  <em>
    <span>experienced… </span>
  </em>
  <span>other men before; quick heart-fluttering dances in the dark, warm lips and skin and— “Might have to pour me a few more glasses before that, old boy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I see, so you’re one of </span>
  <em>
    <span>those</span>
  </em>
  <span> men… Noted.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I—“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nothing bad, darling,” Oscar followed up quickly, “Just jotting down a mental note that you’re yet another man who is ‘completely uninterested in the masculine form’... until you’ve had a pleasant conversation and a glass or two more of this wine.” He smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eddie rolled his eyes. “All men are like that, if you ask me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Or perhaps you assume all men are like that to hide your attraction from even yourself, Dantes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eddie finished off his drink. “Fine. Demonstrate to me how much I long for men then, if you’re so wise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oscar raised an eyebrow. “You sure? Once I show you how magical my world is, you won’t want to go back to little Miss Sunshine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eddie rolled his eyes. “I doubt you’re much better than the other men who have whisked me away at places like this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oscar laughed, finishing his last bit of wine. “Ah, you’re experienced! That’s almost impressive.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is it?” Eddie’s eyes trailed along the floor before catching on Annabel’s shoes flitting in and out of a crowd.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m just trying to butter you up. Shall we?” Oscar trailed a finger down Eddie’s bicep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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